A sharp political confrontation broke out in Maharashtra after the state Congress referred to Deputy Chief Minister and NCP president Sunetra Pawar as a “gungi gudiya”, triggering protests by Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction) workers and sparking strong reactions from the ruling Mahayuti alliance.
The controversy intensified when NCP supporters entered the Congress headquarters in Mumbai, raising slogans and protesting against the statement. Police later intervened, detained several protesters and tightened security outside the party office to prevent further escalation.
Congress Stands by Its Statement
Despite the backlash, Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal defended his remarks, asserting that the expression was intended to describe Sunetra Pawar’s political conduct rather than personally insult her.”The issue is her conduct. If a person holding the post of Deputy Chief Minister does not answer journalists’ questions, asks reporters to remain quiet and stays silent on key issues, then such behaviour is not appropriate in a democracy. Sitting quietly without responding defines the term ‘gungi gudiya’. It is not an abusive or unparliamentary word,” Sapkal said.
He also accused the Deputy Chief Minister of remaining silent on several issues concerning the state government and maintained that the Congress would not retract its statement.
NCP Workers Protest at Congress Office
Following Sapkal’s remarks, NCP workers reached the Congress office at Tilak Bhavan in Mumbai, shouting slogans and demanding an apology. The protest briefly created tension before Mumbai Police stepped in, detaining the demonstrators and restoring order.
Mahayuti Leaders Hit Back
The ruling alliance launched a counterattack, accusing the Congress of lowering the standards of political discourse.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde termed the remark an insult to women across Maharashtra.”Their minds have become corrupted, which is why they have insulted a sister. Sunetra Pawar is Maharashtra’s first woman Deputy Chief Minister. This is an insult to every mother and sister in Maharashtra. Congress must apologise immediately for this condemnable statement,” Shinde said.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also criticised the Congress, alleging that the Opposition was making provocative statements merely to remain in the political spotlight.”They have stooped to a very low level. Since they are not getting attention, they are making such statements just to remain in the headlines. Maharashtra’s political culture has rarely witnessed such a decline,” Fadnavis said.
Rohit Pawar Offers a Different Perspective
Amid the political sparring, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) MLA Rohit Pawar adopted a more measured tone, saying the controversy should be viewed in a broader political context.”Indira Gandhi was also called ‘gungi gudiya’, but she answered her critics through her actions. Such comments should be taken positively,” he said.
Political Tensions Escalate
The episode has further sharpened the political rivalry between the Mahayuti government and the Congress, with neither side showing signs of backing down. While Congress insists its criticism was political, the ruling alliance has portrayed the remark as an insult to women, ensuring that the controversy is likely to dominate Maharashtra’s political discourse in the coming days.
